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<title>i don't believe in soulmates by blackpercy</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29535936">i don't believe in soulmates</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackpercy/pseuds/blackpercy'>blackpercy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Percy Jackson and the Olympians &amp; Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Black Rachel Dare, F/M, and percy thinks soulmates are bull (bc they are lol), au where percy and rachel get together after tlo bc im bitter, black percy jackson, but it's not like soulmates actually Exist, kind of but not rly, rachel just reads too many romance novels and has this weird 'soulmate' idea stuck in her head</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:41:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>883</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29535936</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackpercy/pseuds/blackpercy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Again, that word. Percy eyes unfocus as he thinks about his next words. There’s something about their world that ties people together with the strongest, most unbreakable of threads. He supposes that’s what ties him and Annabeth. Like soulmates.</p><p>The problem is, Percy doesn’t believe in soulmates.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>(mentioned) - Relationship, Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Rachel Elizabeth Dare/Percy Jackson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>i don't believe in soulmates</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>As Rachel inspects Percy, on that silver bench on Mount Olympus beside Bessie’s pool, she realizes he is </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>her soulmate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There are too many similarities between them. Too many pieces that don’t—<em>can’t</em>— fit. Rachel is loud and extraverted and goofy while Percy has a quiet sort of boldness. There is also Annabeth, who Rachel is convinced is Percy’s soulmate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They fit together so well, and Rachel isn’t the only one who sees it. Percy and Annabeth are the obvious choice, they’re the perfect choice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rachel never stood a chance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy’s attention snaps to her. There’s a tired joy in the Savior of Olympus’ green eyes. It’s yet another reminder of the chasm that lies between them, a void of soulmates and Oracles and unbreakable oaths.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy raises an eyebrow. Rachel’s heart skips a beat. “What’s up, Rache? Have you called your dad to tell him you’re okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the mention of her father, a sour taste fills Rachel’s mouth. The deal she made with him is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Rachel knows she shouldn’t feel so upset when others close to her are fighting in wars and dealing with trauma. The taste doesn’t go away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” she lies. “He knows I’m fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stares a little more. Like if she stares, the words on the tip of her tongue will transfer into his knowledge and he’ll <em>get it</em>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We weren’t meant to be.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blurts it out. Quickly, inefficiently, like clunky building blocks rolling down a hill. Percy cocks his head to the side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” He asks, and Rachel wishes he wouldn’t make her elaborate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some semblance of understanding fills his expression as her eyes dart to Apollo in the back of Olympus, who was waving a hand and restoring the roof of a pagoda over Rachel’s shoulder. He remembers Apollo’s offer, of the Oracle of Delphi, Rachel’s destiny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy frowns, moves closer. Rachel scoots away. “Rache, please tell me you’re not gonna take his offer. We keep the Oracle’s <em>corpse</em> in an <em>attic</em>!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rachel snorts, twists one of her long red box braids around her pinky finger. “It’s not like I have a choice in the matter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because it’s what I’m meant to do.” Rachel shrugs. “Just like how you were meant to </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> be the hero. Like how you and Annabeth are meant to be together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy’s frown deepens at the last bit. His eyes move from Rachel, to Annabeth’s form somewhere in the vast area of Mount Olympus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rachel crosses her arms. For the first time, she felt a little self conscious. “You heard me…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I did.” Percy says. “I’m just having a little bit of trouble figuring out why you think me and Annabeth belong together? And how that’s comparable to you taking Apollo’s Oracle offer?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>Everybody</em> wants you guys to be together!” Rachel exclaims. “Annabeth does, that’s why she doesn’t like me! I’m pretty sure Aphrodite wants you guys to be together too. You’re so perfect for each other. I can’t get in the way of that…maybe that’s part of why I told Apollo yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy takes on the expression of someone developing a migraine. His eyebrows meet in the middle of his forehead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rachel,” he says softly. “Have you ever thought about what <em>I</em> want?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Rachel doesn’t meet his eyes. She trains them on her sneakers. “You’re practically soulmates.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, that word. Percy eyes unfocus as he thinks about his next words. There’s something about their world that ties people together with the strongest, most unbreakable of threads. He supposes that’s what ties him and Annabeth. Like soulmates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The problem is, Percy doesn’t <em>believe</em> in soulmates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hate that word.” He confesses, looking at Rachel hard enough to make her look at him. “Soulmates. I hate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because it makes my life about everybody but me. It takes away my say in who I want to be with. And, even if you think me and Annabeth are soulmates, I don’t want to be with her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rachel blinks. Hard. Her brain processes him over and over again, from the tops of his curly black hair to the soles muddy shoes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um…” It may be the first time Percy has ever heard Rachel stutter. “Then who </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> you want to be with?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy laughs humorlessly. “If you had asked, if the gods had waited five seconds after you kissed me at the beach, I would have said you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And now?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He fixes a sea green gaze on her. His voice is blunt, callous, and a bit teasing. “It’s still you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The revelation doesn’t alarm her, not the way she had believed it would. In its place, a soft sort of haze drops around her and she looks him dead in the eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Percy Jackson,” Rachel announces. “I am going to kiss you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He has time to smile, to brighten up Rachel’s world, before she moves closer, cups his face, and presses their lips together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy stifles a smile as he kisses her back. At the beach, he was taken by surprise, but now he has time to take it slow. No surprises, no interruptions, although they’re on Mount Olympus mere hours after a war.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This doesn’t feel like a war. This feels safe.</span>
</p>
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